Data reproducing machine



Oct. 3, 1944.' .R |I ROTH 'DATA REPRODUCING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 3, 1944. R l. ROTH DAT REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed May 51, 1941 10 Sheets-'Sheet 2.v

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DATA REPRODUCING MACHINE v Filed Maysl, 1941 1o sheets-sheet 4 lBY 'ATTQRNEK Oct. 3, 1944. l R l. ROTH 2,359,680

DATA REPRODUCING MAQHI'NE- Filed May l31, 1941 1o sheets-'sheet 6 FIGJO.,

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DATA REPRODUCING MACHINE l Filed May 51, 1941 l0 Sheets-Sheet 'Z ucm-.ran 1234551690 MIIJDMIIJU ATTORNEY.

Oct. 3, 1944. R. l. ROTH y DATA REPRODUCING MACHINE Filed May 3l, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 1 JAsKaafLcumosvuiswor'lxrasauR oV I l l. lY l l I l N m l l l l I. u. H l l l l u l l l.. l M l l H l l N l l l INVENTOR. @MW

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DATA REPRODUGING MACHINE Filed May s1, 1941 1o sheets-sheet 9 A RCM eA @wsmoa aus.; susana/v Maf ATTORNEY.

Oct. 3, 1944. R. L ROTH DATA REPRODUCING MACHIN Filed May 31. 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Patented Oct. 3, :1944

UNITED STATES PATENT oll-lFlicE-` DATA REPRODUCING MACHINE iRobert I. Roth, Valley Stream, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 31,'1941,seria1N0. 395,935 1': claims. (ci. 11n- 19) This invention relates to improvements in perforating machines wherein record cards are therein interpreted to cause cooperative mechanisms to perforate other cards in a like manner, the other cards being fed in synchronism with the rst. It is further well known that by feed'- ing record cards in a like manner past other sensing devices such record card designations can be sensed to actuate mechanism to print thereon the interpreted information recorded by the designated .perforationa It is 'furthermore obvious that. record .cards could be prepared by a combination of the methods of the operations just described such that printing and perforating upon a record card would be accomplished under control of another perforated or pattern card. However, such a i combination method would present diiculties such as prolonged preparation time, dual operag tions, unreliability of sequence, additional manual handling, duplication of feeding, and similar obstacles. Furthermore. such a combination method would require duplicate mechanisms or machines, thereby `adding materially to the cost y of preparing record cards in the manner desired.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide an improved perforating and printing ,machine in which punching and printing of a designation in a record card is effected simultaneously under control of a-perforated designation in another record card.

A further object is to provide a, perforating and i' -printing -machine in which perforating andprinting of designations are effected simultaneitheiprintsti the intermittent pauses of a work sheet as it is fed, the line of resulting print being invariable.'

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a machine in which improved means are provided to distinguish between a combination of two perforations in a specific column'and a singley perforation in the same column of the lsa!!! identity as one of the combination.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine in which perforations are made in a variable line in a workv sheet over a, plurality of columns, simultaneous printing being made in an invariable line in the same work sheet over a. plurality of columns, and the control for both perforating and printing being furnished from perforated designations in a variable line over a.v

provide, in a, machine which -interpretivelyre-V produces printing and perforations into a record card from and underthe control of perforations in a patterncard, a means for withholding the perforating of the record card under certain conditions of perforation in a specific column of the pattern card.

Another object is to provide a perforating and printing machine wherein a single impulse received by a common control means is utilized to eiect the perforating and printing operations. Other objects of the invention will bedpointed out in lthe following description and claims and illustrated in the` accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, .the principle of the invention andthe best mode, which has been contemplated,"of applying that principle. y

Inlthe drawings: 1 s f l Fig. 1 is a side elevation `view'of the machine. `Fig. 2is asectional elevationview of thema.-

chine showing theflfeeding, sensing, perforating,-

,ci basale are cette madiaq' Fig. 5 is partial side elevation View .along the line 5-5 in Fig. 3, and shows the drive to the various shafts and the feed rolls.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the punching, printing, and associated mechanism.

Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show enlarged views of the type bar construction.

I Fig. 10 is a plan view of Fig. 6 along the line Fig. 11 is a partial view of a record card as prepared by this machine. v

Fig. 12 is a detail view along the line |2|2 of Fig. 10, and shows the punch disabling cam and mechanism.

Fig. 13 is,a detail View along the line |3--l3 of Fig. l0, and shows the zoning bail cam and mechamsm.

Fig. 14' is a detail view along the line |4|4 of Fig. 10, and shows the stop pawl restoring bail cam and mechanism.

Fig. 15 is a detail view along the line |5|5 of Fig. 10, and-shows the printing interposer bail cam and mechanism.

Fig. 16 is a detail view showing a type bar in the R zone.

Fig. 17 is a detail view showing a type bar in the X zone.

Fig. 18 is a detail view showing a the 0 zone.

type bar in Fig. 19 is a detail view showing a type bar at its full limit of travel in the numerical zone.

Fig. 20 is the wiring diagram.n of the electrical circuits of the machine.

Fig. 21 is the timing chart of the various coordinating parts of the.-machine in cyclic .operation.

While 'the instant' invention is intended to be more than a mere improvement in the previously mentioned U. S. Patent No. 2,032,805, the emrbodiment herein disclosed follows to some extent the structure of the latter patent. In Fig. 2, for example, the card reading unit has been adapted from a similar card reading unit shown in Fig. 3 of the above noted patent. However, the reading unit herein disclosed has been somewhat simplified as can be determined from a` comparison of the Fig. 2 of the instant invention and Fig. 3 of Patent No. 2,032,805 from which the contact roll-28|, the brushes I6, the brush holder |53, and the card levers CHC and CHCL have been omitted. lThese components normally would occupy the line 22-22 as shown in Fig. 2 of the present invention.

The punching unit as disclosed in Patent No.

. 2,032,805 has also been simplified to the extent of omitting'certain of the feed rolls in part and the omission of the contact roll 221, the brushes I9, the card lever BCL, and the brush holder |1| as shown in Fig. 3 of the recited patent.

Other of the drawings as herein shown follow along the linesot the structural disclosure of Patent No. 2,032,805. y

It is not the intent, however, in thepresent Ainvention to be limited by the structure of the embodiment shown, but the purpose .of the single modication shown by adaptation to the structure of the aforesaid patent is to readily distinguish .the novelty of the present invention over what is blank cards are fed from the punch-print magazine P, past the die and stripper 30 with intermittent motion furnished by a Geneva gear mechanism, in synchronism with the pattern cards. As the blank cards pass under thedieand stripper 30, they are perforated to correspond with the pattern card by the punches 54 (see Fig. 6). As previously pointedf out the punch magnets receive impulses from the sensing brushes. There is a punch magnet for each sensing brush, and each punch magnet in turn controls a distinct and corresponding punch. The operation and the mechanisms which control' such operation up to this point, are identical with those disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,032,805. (Note: For purposes of clarity, blank cards, after being perforated, will be referred to as record cards throughout thepresent description.)

As the record card leaves the it travels, under a plurality of type bars 3|, there being one type bar for each columnar position of the record card. A guide 32 directs the leading edge of the record card under the type bars 3|.

Underneathl the lcard is a ribbon 33 which lies on the top of the rubber platen 34. Above the type bars 3| .is a bail assembly composed of the two side pieces 35 and the top and bottom pieces 36. motion in the pieces 436 are a plurality of printing interposers 31, one for each type bar. A spring 38 acts .against a stud 39 on each inter.

poser to normally keep the interposers 31 up, de-

termined by the stud 39 abutting the top piece 36.V

The bail assembly is so mounted in the machine that it can move from left to right in synchronism with the card. At theend of a card cycle it is quickly restored to the left as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. 'I'he type bars 3| are supported on extensions of the stripper 40 and at thev other ends by the bail 4|. to keep the type bar 3| in contact with bail 4|. On the top edge of the type' bar 3| are the teeth 43 which cooperate with the stop pawl 44 to stop the type bar in the proper zoned position.

oted to the interposer. 55 is the call link-'51, the

right end of which is pivoted to an extension 58 of the punch magnet armature 53. A stud 60 on the call link 51 cooperates with the latch 6 I, to release the stop pawl 44.

The actions of punching and printing are as follows:

,The record cardpasses the die Il with the 12" position leading.- vFor example, it a "12 is to be punched in the card, the punch magnet I2 is energized at "12" on the machine index as shown die so (see nigga),

Mounted for vertical reciprocation A spring 42 acts assaoso by the time chart of Fig. 21. The call link 51 moves to the right against the action of spring 63, and the stud 60 rocks the latch 6| clockwise bar 3|. The type bar will now be stopped in the position shown in Fig. 16. 'The call link 51 moving to theright causes interposer 55 to engage the bail 56 so that `on its downward movement, it carries the slide 45 with it. The piece 53 being on top of the punch' 54 carries the punch downwards-forcing it through the c ard. At this time the printing interposer 31 wil be at the 'extreme left (see dotted lines Fig. 6) and as it is forced down will clear all of the type on the type bar 3|. A cam face 66 on the interposer 55 cooperates with a bar 61 to hold the notch in the interposer 55 in engagement with the' bail 56. A comb 68 positions the interposers 55. On the upstroke of bail 56, a ledge 69 retracts the punch 54. The interposer 55is also cammed`away from the bail 56 by the camming surface 10 of bar 1|. The timing' chart, Fig. 2 1, will show that the printing interposer is held at `its extreme left position at the time '12, "11 and zero holes are punched. The reason for this is that the type bar is zoned from the 12, 11, and zero impulses to the punch magnet 62` and no printing should occur at those times. Thevzoning bail 4| moves slightly to the right as the 11 position moves under the punches 54. If the punch magnet received an impulse at 11 the type bar would be stopped by the stop pawl 44 in the position shown in Fig. 17. The bail 4| again vmoves slightly to the right as the zero position is brought under the punches 54, and an impulse at.

zero would zonethe type bar as in Fig. 18. As the ll position moves -under the punches, the bail 4| moves fully to the right and the type bar 3 `will be positioned as in Fig. 19 or in the numerical zone.

In the example previously discussed, it is assumed that a "12 was punched in the card and that the type bar 3| is stopped as in Fig.- 16. The type bar is retained in this position for the remainder of the cycle by the stop pawl 44. Further movement of bail 4| to the-right merely causes it to move away from the abutting surface of the type bar 3|. As previously mentioned the printing interposer 31 is .at the extreme left (dotted as shown in Fig. 6) during the "12," "11,"

and zero times on the machine index. l Now,`

however, as the 1 position on the record card is lbrought under the punch 54, the printing interdotted line 1 of Fig. 16. If a. 1 is now punched` in the same column of the card as the "12 already punched, the column will contain a 12 and a 1 which corresponds to the alphabetical character A. Fig. 16 Will show that if the printing interposer 31 (see Fig. 6) is carried down by the slide 45 at the l time on the index, the letter A will be printed upon the cardI From the 1` position to the-"13 position on the index, the printing interposer 31 moves in synchronism with the record card to print the proper character. l

It is impossible to print a zero at the zero time in the cycle vas the zero impulse is used -for zoning. If a zero is punched, the typebar "acts to keep cam roller |20 always in contact* zero to be printed at "13 time on the machine index. For -thisreason a zero.type has been provided in the type bar which can be utilized at the "13 time on the index. This .will be discussed later in detail;

Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. .3, the. two side frames 12 and 13 are shownoneither side of the original frames 14 and 15. The gear housing 16 is fastened to side frame 13. In Fig. 4 the gear 11, which is fastened to the pulley shaft, now

-drives gear 18 which is fastened to shaft 19 with driven by gear 82 and gear 81 drives gear 86.'

The feed rou shaft as (Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 1o)l now extends'through side frame 'l2-and has fastened to its end thev gear 90. Gear 90 (see Figs. 5 and 10) drives through the idler gear 9| to the gear 92 fastened tothe shaft 93, with a ratio such that shaft' 93 makes one complete revolution per machine cycle. Gear 90 also drives through idler .gear 94 to the gear 95 which is fastened to feed roll shaft 96 with a. 1A to 1 ratio. Gear 95 drives .through the idler gear A91 to the gear 98l which is fastened to feed roll shaft 99 with a 1- to 1 ratio. Fig. 10 shows feed roll shafts |00 and |0|, which have been shortened to clear the type bars 3|,

terminating in theV feed rolls |02 and |03. Feed.

roll shafts 96 and 99 on the opposite 'side of the machine terminate in feed rolls |04 and |05 ,revspectively.

When printing a zero at 13 index time in the cycle, it is necessary to prevent the punches from going down and thereby nicking the edge of the card. To accomplish this, two bails |06 and |01 (see Fig. 2) are .provided which operate through holes |08 in the side frames .14 and 15 (see Fig. 3) Shortly before 13 index time in the cycle (see Fig. 21) these balls move to the right. The upper bail |06 acts to rock the pieces 53 out of engagement with the punches 54 and the lower bail |01 movesinwards to lock the punches A54. When theslides 45 are moved down to print zero, the punches 54 are not carried down'.

As previously mentioned, shaft 93 (see Fig. 5) makes one revolution per cycle. FromFig. 10, it can be seen that this shaft 93 extends through the four side frames 12, 13,V 14, 15. Mounted near each end of this shaft 93 areifour cams and their followers which operate the various balls added to this machine. i

The punch disabling cams .|09 (see Fig. 12) act near the end of the machine cycle to rock clockwise, via cam rollers |`|0, the arms against the action of springs ||2. Arms -pivot on the studs 3 which are fastened to the side frames 14 and 15.

The zone bail cams ||4 (see Figs. 10 and13) are also mounted on shaft 93. 'I'he zone bail 4| 1 'stud ||1 at each end of the' bail 4| is embraced by the bifurcated ends of the arms |y |-8 which are. -loosely mounted on shaft |f9. A roller |20 on each arm 8 cooperates with cam ||4.v Timing of this cam ||4 is shown in Fig. 21. A spring |2| card, themachine senses this factand causes the with cam |14.

The stop pawl restoring cams |22 (Figs. 10 and 14) are also fastened to shaft 93. The purpose of these cams is to latch up lthe stop pawls 44, to permit the type bars 3| to be zoned at the begimiing of each cycle. The stop pawl restoring bail |23 (see Figs. 2 and 14) extends through holes |24 in side frames 14 and 15. Rotation of cams |22 in cooperation with cam rollers |25 and follower arms |26 cause the bail |23 `to be rocked clockwise then counterclockwise on shaft ||9. Timing of cams |22 is shown in Fig. 2l. springs |21 hold the cam rollers |25 against the cams |22.

The printing interposer cams |28 (see Figs. 10

` and are also fastened to the shaft 93. The f printing interposer bail assembly,|29 which is made up of parts 35 and 36 (see Fig. 6) is adapted for horizontal reciprocating motion (see Fig. 15) in the slots 30 in the side frames 14 and 15. Referring to Fig. 10, the blocks |3| secured to the bail |29 by the screws |32 serve to position the bail |29 so that the printing interposers 31 are in line with the type bars 3|. Studs |33 (see Fig. 15), one in each end of bail |29 areconnected by the links |34 to the arms |35 which are pivoted on shaft ||9. Cam rollers |36 on the arms |35 cooperate with the cams |28 which act to position the printing interposer bail |29 in accordance with the timing chart (Fig. 21). The springs |31 act tohold the rollers |36 against the cams |28.

A type ribbon 33 (see Fig. 6) of the conventional style is passed over the platen 34 from supply spool |38 to the storage spool |39, the respective spools being supported upon shafts |40 .and |4|. The ribbon 33, in this instance, would have a widthy equal to the length of the record card. With the ribbon and platen arrangement shown, printing will be effected upon the underside of the card.

Figs. '1, 8, and 9 show the proposed construction of the type bars 3|. A U-shaped piece of start key, a circuit will be completed from one The` side of the line through the contacts of the stop key, the transferred relay points |54-B, the transferred relay points |53-B, the contacts of the "start key, the coil of the relay |55, the coil ofthe relay MRM, to the other side of the line. The driving motor will now be energized through the relay pointsMRC. The relays MRM and |55 will now remain energized through the relay points |55-A and the points controlled by the circuit breaker C-l.

be completed through C2, |55-B, ISI-B, PCM to energize PCM, and through C-2, |55-B, |52C, RCM to energize RCM. These magnets control the feeding clutches of the punch-print magazine and the sensing magazine respectively, and in the first cycle a card will be fed out of each magazine in synchronism and the contacts RCL-I and DCL will be closed, thereby picking up relays |5| and |52. The holding circuit for relays MRM and |55 willnow be from one side of the line, stop key, relay points |54-A, |53-A, |52-A, ISI-A, IE5-A, relay-|55, relay MRM, other side of line. In the second cycle the pattern card will be fed past the sensing brushes and the card to be punched and printed (blank card) will be fed past the die.

Assume the plug hubs I1 14 plugged to plug hubs |15|18 respectively. Assume further that one column only, the'column associated with plug hub |15, be considered, an impulse at "12 or l1," index time, will energize the punch magnet and relay |61. Fromthe timing chart (Fig. 2l) it can be seen that energizing relay |6| atthe V "12 or "11 index time would merely operate the metal |42 forms the type casing. Cro'ss pieces p |43 are provided at intervals along thetop of the casing |42. These cross pieces |43 strengthen the casing |42 as well as separate the type which is made in the form of the shank |44 with an integral enlarged end |45. The character isformed on the bottom of end |45. Each shank 44 is a sliding fit in a hole |46 at the bottom of the casing |42. The assembly ofsuch a type bar might be:

(1) Insert type shank |44 through the hole |46 in the casing |42,

(2) Place compression spring |41 in position,

(3) Force rectangular metal tubing |48 over the shank |44, Y

(4) Spot weld the shank |44 to the tubing |48. A tail |49 of the type bar 3| is a piece of metal fitted inside the casing |42 and suitably spot welded.

Referring to Fig. 20, the various circuits constituting the wiring diagram of the machine can f be distinguished. In addition to interpretive reproducing and printing operations, the machine is also provided with circuit connections for accomplishing class selection, field selection, and field elimination. Regardless of the type of work or function which the machine performs, whenever perforations of the record card occur,l interpretive printing of the record card is performed simultaneously, both of these operations always being under the control of the pattern card.

For interpretively reproducing and printing |6|A points. At zero time, however, the |58-A points transfer as P-I is made and both the relay |60 and the punch magnet would be energized. vRelay |60 would be held energized through its points |60-A and P-3. Later in the same cycle if another hole is to be punched in combination with the zero hole, relay |6| would' be energized in conjunction with the punch magnet and relay |60 would be deenergized. If the column contained only a zero" the |,60-B points would allow an impulse to get through to the punch magnet at "13 index time when |59-A points transfer and a zero would be printed. i

Class selection, field section, and field elimination are accomplished in the usual manner by means' of the class selectors and use of the X brush in the sensing unit. The sensing of an X causes relay |56 to be energized and held through |56-A points and R-2. The |56--B points energize relay |51 when R--3 makes on the next cycle and-the relay |51 is held energized through relay points |51-A and R-4 for the duration of the cycle. Relay points |51-B accomplish the selection or elimination through current is supplied to the machine through line While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied tol a single modification it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its-operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without When C-2 makes relay, points |55-B will be closed `and a circuit will 4aslsaesoY y v 7,5

departing from the spiritl of the invention.. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims'.

What is claimed is:

1. In a punching and' printing -mechanism wherein a record card is reproduced from and printed under control of a pattern card, a line of devices for sensing ,the pattern card, a line of perforatingdevices, a line of printing devices comprising type bars, a printing interposer for each said type bar, a ribbon, a platen, means for feeding a pattern card past the sensing devices and a record card past the perforating and printing devices in synchronism with intermittent motion, said record card progressing along and under the type bar and over the ribbon and .platen,`means for advancing the said printing interposers in synchronism with the record card, the said interposers progressing along and above the said type bars, type elements independently operative and so disposed along the said type bars as to progressively come under the said interposers as they advance, and means under control operate said elements to print al1 characters sensed from the pattern card in an even and predetermined line on the record card.

2. In a machine operatingunder control of pattern cards having code indicia representing characters by their index point positions, to'produce record cards havin'g corresponding code indicia and interpretive printed characters; cyclically operating means for feeding theopattern cards and record card blanks in synchronism; means for sensing the code indicia of the pattern cards; means operating under control of said sensing means to produce code indicia at selected index points of the record card blanks, at diierential times determined by the `positions of the code indicia of the pattern cards; printing means comprising a type bar adjacent the path of feed of the record card blanks, said type bar having a set of individually movable type arranged in a row paralle1 to the line of feed of the record card blanks; an interposer movable along said row of type and means for moving the same coordinately with the feed of the record card blank; and means controlled by said sensing means to actuate said interposer and the type momentarily aligned therewith, to print a character: interpreting the indicia sensed.

3. In a machine for producing and interpretingvv a set of perforated cards under control of a set of pattern cards; a line of sensing brushes;a line of punches; a line of type bars each havingv a set of individually movable type in a row transverse to said 1ine of type bars; a line of type bar .interposers operative upon the rows of typev -carried by the respective type bars; a line of i actuating slidesvcommon-to the punches and type bar interposers; means for feeding cards from the set of pattern cards, transverse to the line of sensing brushes; Geneva gear mechanism for feeding the record cardsin synchronism with the pattern cards, with intermittent movement transverse to the lines of punches and type bars; means to move said interposers coordinately with, and parallel to, the feed of the record cards; a ribbon, a platen, said ribbon, and platen cooperating with said type to print on said record cards;

interposer pawls connected to said' actuating slides and selected by magnets controlled by said sensing brushes; an actuator for operating selected pawls `and connected slides, said slides transmitting such action to operate said punches and type' bar interposers, to cause perforation and printing of the record card corresponding to the pattern cards; and an eccentric on .said Geneva gear mechanism for operating said actuator during each intermittent pause in card feed. 4. A machine as described in claim 2, wherein the number of type on said type bar is a multiple of the number of index points along the direction of feed of a' card, and means are provided to shift said type bar parallel to vthe row of type. to bring diiierent groups of said type selectively4 to operative position. Vv// 5. A machine as described in claim Z, wherein the number of type on said type bar is a multiple of the number of index points along the direction of feed of a card, andmeans are provided to shift'said type bar Parallel to the row of type,

to bring different groups of said type selectively to operative position; said last means including yieldingly acting means for moving said type bar in synchronism with the movement vof said in'- terposer, during the sensing kof the first index points of the pattern card;` zoning means for arresting saidtype bar; and means responsive to the sensing of a code character at one of the first index points, for operating said zoning means. t

6. A machine as described 'in claim 2, wherein the number of type on said type bar is a multiple of the number `of index points along the directionof feed of a card, and means are provided toshift said type bar parallel to the row of type, y

to bring different groups of said type selectively to operative position; said last means including yieldingly acting means for moving said type bar in synchronism with the movement of said interposer, during the sensing of the first index e points of the pattern card; .zoning means for arresting said type bar; means responsive to the sensing of indicia at one of said rst index points,- for operating said zoning means; said interposer being positioned out of alignment with all said v type during the sensing of said first index points,

to preventprinting at that time; preparatory means set up by the sensing-of a code characterat one of said first index points, and means acting regularly at a later time in each cycle, and

'cooperating with said preparatory means if the time, means to move'said striking means along said row of character members in synchronism with the feed of the record sheet. differential control means to cause said striking means to operate at variable selected points in its travel, and

a platen located-on the opposite sideof the card' from said row of character members and coextensive with said row.

8. In an interpreting machine, a 4type holder having a'row ofinclependently operable type vmembers thereon, a platen opposite said type members having a surface lcoextensive with the row of typemembers and spaced from the latter to form a ycard feeding path therebetween means "(5 for feeding record cards along said path parallel to-the row of type members, striking means operable upon a single type member at a time, means to move said striking means along said row of type members in synchronism'with the feed of record cards, and differential control means to cause said striking means to operate at variable selected points in its travel, whereby selected characters are printed at the same position on each successive card.

9. A machine as described in Aclaim 8, wherein the number of type members on said type holder is a multiple ofthe number of differentially selectable points in the travel of said striking means, and ysaid type holder is movable as a whole to place diierent Agroups of type members at said differentially selectable points.

10. A machine as described in claim 8, wherein said differential control means comprises a pattern card feeding and sensing means, operating synchronously with the -record card feeding means.

11. In a machine operating under control of` pattern cards having code indicia-representing characters by their index pointpositions, to produce record cards having corresponding code indicia and interpretative printed characters; sensing means, code indicia producing means, cyclically operating means for feeding pattern cards and record cards past said sensing means and said code indicia producing means, respectively, so that the index point positions of pattern cards are sensed in sequence as said cards are fed;

means controlled'by said sensing means to operate said code indicia producing means at differential times, to produce code indicia at selected index point. positions of the record cardv blanks;

printing means including character members distributed along the direction of feed of the record card blanks; striking means operable upon said character members individually; means to move said striking means over said character members, in synchronism with the feed of the record cards; and differential control means operated under control of said sensing means to cause said striking means to strike particular character members at differential times, to print characters interpreting the code indicia produced on the record card blanks during the same cycle.

12. In a reproducing and interpreting machine operating under control of pattern cards having y columns of index points, in each column of which,

characters are represented'by code indicia at one or more index points; cyclically operating means for feeding pattern cards and record card blanks .in synchronism; means-for sensing the index point positions of the columns ofthe pattern cards sequentially as the cards are fed; code character producing means and printing means,

spectively, in the different columns of the record card blanks in the course of the feed of the latter; a set of actuating devices each pertaining to one of the code character producing devices and the corresponding printing device; means controlled by said sensing meansto activate one of said actuating devices each time a code character is sensed in the corresponding column of a pattern card, each of said code character producing devices being adapted to be operated by its actuating device each time the latter is operated under control of said sensing means, to produce a code character at the index point position of the record card corresponding to the index point position of the pattern card at which acode character was sensed; each of said printing devices comprising a row of printing elements parallel to the direction offeed of the record card blanks, and striking means operated by said actuating means and moving in synchronism with the feed of the record card blanks lengthwise of the row of printing elements, so as to be positioned to coact, upon one operation of said actuating means, with that one of said printing elements which prints a character interpreting the particular code character produced in the same column of the same record card.

13. An interpreting punch as described in claim l2, having zone shifting means operable to shift the row of printing elements in a direction parallel to the row. 14. An interpreting punch as described in claim 12, having zone shifting means operable to shift the row of printing elements in a direction parallel to the row; and means responsive to the sensing of a code character at one index point, and acting in conjunction with means operative in each cycle upon conclusion of the sensing of ing elements, in synchronism with the feed of the each comprising a set of devices operative, re-

cards, and means for actuating said punch element and said striking means simultaneously at variable times during the feed of successive cards, to perforate the cards in variable index point positions and to print variousinterpreting characters in the same position on all of the cards.

16. In an interpreting punch, a punching element, a row of printing elements aligned therewith, means for feeding cards past said elements in a direction parallel to the row of printing elements, striking means adapted to coact with said printing elements individually, means for moving said striking means parallel to the row of printing elements, in synchronism with the feed of the cards, said striking means being in non-coacting position during part of its movement, a common actuating means for said punch element and said striking means, means for operating said common actauting means at variable times/during successive card feeds, once while/said striking means is in non-coacting position and again while said striking meansis in coacting' position, to perforate the cards twice in variable index point positions and to print single interpreting characters in the same position on all cards.

17. An interpreting punch as described in claim 16, having zone shifting means operable while said striking means is in non-coacting position, to shift the row of printing elements in a direction parallel to the row.

ROBERT I. ROTH. 

